The official beer of the Folk Festival: Wild Wolf’s Folktoberfest

After last year’s extremely successful outing, local brewery Wild Wolf has created a beer exclusively available at this year’s Richmond Folk Festival.

October 10, 2013; 6:50 AM • by Jeremiah Eldridge

Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit, der Gemütlichkeit
Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit, der Gemütlichkeit
Eins, zwei, drei, g’suffa!

Zicke, zacke, zicke, zacke,
hoi! hoi! hoi!

Zicke, zacke, zicke, zacke,
hoi! hoi! hoi!

Prost!

The end is my favorite part: Oi! Oi! Oi! Oh the days of my youth, going to shows in DC. But alas, I digress…

I’m willing to bet (a lot of money) that this German folk song is familiar to a lot of people around this most wonderful time of year. It’s traditionally sung during Oktoberfest celebrations everywhere to spread cheer and good times–and get people heavily lubricated. Although it’s a week after the OFFICIAL end of Oktoberfest,¹ this is exactly why Wild Wolf’s Folktoberfest is the perfect beer style for the 6th annual Richmond Folk Festival. Not so much the heavy drinking part, but definitely the spreading cheer and good times through music part.

I spoke to Danny Wolf, head brewer at Wild Wolf, about how this collaboration between fest and brewery came about. At last year’s Folk Festival, Wild Wolf’s Alpha Ale was poured quickly–a little too quickly some might say. It sold out several times, which prompted the two groups to talk about doing a special brew for this year’s festival. By adding a portion of American pale malt and using American Columbus hops instead of a traditional noble hop variety, Wild Wolf has come up with a unique, Americanized version of the classic German Oktoberfest style.

I was graciously allowed to taste the beer (along with a TON of incredible food) at this week’s Folk Feast. The aroma was full of clean, bready malts as expected from a low ester producing yeast such as the Weinhenstephan strain. Initially, the Columbus hops came through in the flavor with a grassy, herbal tone that was a little unexpected. There were only three pounds of hops added at the beginning of the 60-minute boil, which should have just added a little bittering to balance out the richness of the Vienna and Munich malts. As the beer warmed up a little, the hop flavor dissipated and the full flavored malts took over, presenting the style that I have come to know and love.

This beer is an easy drinker, meant for marathon sessions, much like the style it was born from. It will only be available at the Richmond Folk Festival, so trinkt aus! (Drink up!)

— ∮∮∮ —

October 10, 2013 6:50 AM 0